A Sri Lankan minister has alleged that Tamil megastar Rajnikanth, politicians Vaiko and S. Ramadoss benefited from the money laundering operations of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Abdul Rishad Bathiudeen said the LTTE had funded the production of some Tamil films.

“The money was not sent directly. Millions of US dollars were given to a London-based Tamilian. He was asked to produce Tamil films in Chennai with top stars like Rajnikanth,’’ Bathiudeen claimed in an interview to Asian Tribune.

He said that “the aging super star received the blood money”, adding that he was paid “lavishly’’ without elaborating how much money was paid.

On politicians, he said V. Gopalaswamy’s (Vaiko’s) MDMK, S. Ramadoss’s PMK and P. Nedumaran’s Tamil Nationalist Movement and the Tamil Eelam Supporters Coordination Committee received money from the LTTE.

“They (Tamil TV and radio stations) were launched with the blood money of the diaspora... Many websites have been set up with the blood money of our diaspora,’’ the minister said.

Rajnikanth was not available for comment. “Rajnikanth is busy shooting for his film Endiran (Robot) and cannot be reached till late tonight,” sources at the actor's residence in Poes Garden, Chennai told HT.

Vaiko rubbished the allegation, saying, "This is sheer nonsense and political mischief. Ramadoss and Nedumaran could not be contacted. But they had dismissed the charge when it was made by the then Sri Lankan Army chief.